Minimum size of a lot in different parts of the City – Lot size, Lot width and Lot depth

How you can use a lot in different parts of the City – live on your lot, live and have a business on the lot, or just have a business on your lot. It also determines what type of a house you can build on your lot – single family, duplex or multi-family or what type of a business you can have on your lot.

The size and height of a building you can build on a lot

The placement of a building on a lot – setbacks (front yard, back yard, side yard)

Amount and type of landscape required on a lot

The types of signs allowed on a lot

The amount of parking required on the lot and the placement of parking on a lot

Why is the project needed?

A city’s zoning code can either promote or slow the growth and development in a town. A zoning code that is easy to read and use, and has regulations that are aligned with the City’s comprehensive plan, supported by its residents and are responsive to the market helps a city attract higher quality developments and assists in economic development efforts.

The City of Palestine’s zoning code was first created in 1968, regulates development in the city limits of Palestine and a one-mile extraterritorial jurisdiction border around the city. In the fall of 2016, the city has contracted with Stantec Consulting Services to update the zoning code to make it more user-friendly, remove legalese and jargon, align the regulations with the development patterns supported by the market, and align the regulations with the City’s comprehensive plan as required by Texas law.

To help with the code, a nine-member steering committee has been appointed by the City Council.

How will the zoning code be updated?

The update process has three phases – Detect, Discover, Deploy

In the DETECT Phase: The consultant team will

Review the existing zoning ordinance, the Development code, city codes, and the comprehensive plan;

Research best practices and market based regulations; and

Interview staff to find out how the zoning ordinance is used, and the most common and recurring issues and concerns with the current regulations.

In the DISCOVER phase: The consultant team will conduct 11 meetings and an online survey (paper version will be made available) to get input from the community at large, the steering committee, city staff and develop regulations based on this input to create an updated zoning ordinance, as shown below:

Introducing the project and presenting the Diagnostic Analysis to the steering committee, Planning and Zoning Commission, and the City Council –

Town Hall Meeting – March 2017

Online Survey – March 2017

Presenting the results of the town hall meeting and the online survey to the steering committee – May 2017

Three Workshops – coming soon

Consultant will develop the draft zoning ordinance

Meeting with City staff to discuss the workshop results and first draft of the zoning ordinance - TBD

Presenting the results and first draft with staff comments to the steering committee - TBD

Two steering committee meetings – TBD

Meeting with City staff to discuss final draft of the zoning ordinance – TBD

Planning and Zoning Commission Public Hearing - TBD

City Council Public Hearing and adoption of the zoning ordinance – TBD

In the DEPLOY phase: The consultant team will conduct three meetings and an Online Survey (paper version will be made available) to get input from the community at large, and the appointed and elected officials to result in the adoption of the updated zoning ordinance. The activities will be:

Town Hall Meeting - TBD

Online comments - TBD

Planning and Zoning Commission Public Hearing - TBD

City Council Public Hearing and adoption of the zoning ordinance – TBD